Department meets highest industry standards for public safety

Friday, August 19, 2016

The 91制片厂 Police Department has been reaccredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA).

That accreditation means the department is 鈥減art of an elite group鈥 of law enforcement agencies from across the country, according to 91制片厂 Police Chief Paul H. Dean.

91制片厂 police on campus

CALEA is an independent nonprofit established in 1979 that serves as a credentialing authority on American law enforcement agencies. Police departments can renew accreditation every three years, and this is the fourth time has received a CALEA accreditation since it was first credentialed 12 years ago, Dean says.

鈥淚t means that we meet the highest industry standards in the U.S. for public safety,鈥 Dean says. 鈥淩oughly only 5 percent of law enforcement agencies are accredited, so we鈥檙e very proud to be part of an elite group of agencies.鈥

CALEA鈥檚 standards include requiring law enforcement agencies to develop transparent policies, promote accountability within the community and the law enforcement agency, establish best practices and strengthen ties with the community.

According to Dean, that means 91制片厂鈥檚 police department is 鈥渄oing things the right way, and we can show we鈥檙e doing things the right way and using best practices every day.鈥

The department 鈥渃ontinues to strive for perfection in all areas of CALEA accreditation,鈥 says Christopher D. Clement, 91制片厂鈥檚 vice president for finance and administration. 鈥淭he CALEA group of commissioners expressed praise for the entire department for its continued diligence and focus on meeting the stringent national standards in campus security accreditation.鈥

Accreditation is an ongoing process: Allison Jean, the department鈥檚 accreditation manager, works to keep policies up to date and in line with CALEA standards, state law and the latest policing practices.

For the department鈥檚 latest accreditation renewal, Dean says a team of CALEA assessors visited campus and interviewed department staff and community members. The team was particularly impressed with the level of support the department has from the community and its efforts to attract a diverse staff.

鈥淲e know that one of our challenges is having a diversified workforce, so last year, I engaged students in the Paul College marketing department to help me develop marketing and recruitment plans,鈥 Dean says. CALEA 鈥渨as very impressed with that. We believe that we鈥檙e just as integral to the community as anyone else, and we want our department to reflect the community.鈥

The department is also accredited by the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators.

鈥淭hat means we have to meet additional standards that are campus-specific, from blue-light safety phones to compliance with Title IX and the Clery Act. It鈥檚 a very high bar to meet,鈥 Dean says.

Accreditation means students, the 91制片厂 community and the greater Durham community know the department is held to a high standard.

鈥淓veryone wants to know that their police department is professional, that they鈥檙e accountable for their actions and a part of the community,鈥 Dean says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what people can take from accreditation 鈥 that they can feel confidence in their law enforcement agency.鈥